Late Eating Tied to Poor Glucose Tolerance

THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Late consumption of calories is associated with worse glucose tolerance, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in Nutrition & Diabetes.

Diana A. Díaz-Rizzolo, Ph.D., R.D., from the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, and colleagues investigated the impact of habitual late calorie intake (≥45 percent daily calories consumed after 5 p.m.) on glucose metabolism in 26 adults with overweight or obesity and diet- or metformin-controlled prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

The researchers found that early and late eaters did not differ in anthropometrics or daily energy intake, but late eaters consumed more carbohydrates and fats after 5 p.m. There were no differences in fasting glucose, insulin, or C-peptide between groups but late eaters exhibited higher glucose concentrations after an oral glucose tolerance test when adjusting for body weight, fat mass, energy intake, and diet composition. When participants with type 2 diabetes were excluded, glucose results remained. Differences in glucose concentrations were higher in late eaters for time 30 and 60 minutes, when adjusting for diabetes status.

“Late eating is associated with greater consumption of calories mostly from carbohydrates and fats and may lead to prolonged evening postprandial glucose excursions contributing to worse glucose tolerance,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text